Personnel Systems in Local Authorities in Malaysia

Objectives

• Identify criteria for:
  • Close or separated system
  • Fusion system
  • Integrated system
• Understand personnel system practice in Malaysia

Key Systems in Local Government Personnel Administration

1. Close or Separated System

• Definition and Characteristics
  • Local councils manage their own personnel without external transfers.
  • Staff training is managed internally or externally.
  • Consider local factors (e.g., lower salary for rural areas).
• Decentralization
  • Important in handling administrative duties autonomously.
  • Training, promotions, transfers, and terminations managed internally.

2. Fusion System

• Definition and Characteristics
  • Combination of elements from both integrated and separated systems.
  • Federal government assists in filling vacancies and setting service standards.
  • Local councils influenced by federal policies.
• Control and Influence
  • The federal government can dictate policies to the local council.
  • Local conditions and factors taken into account less often.
• Autonomy and Challenges
  • Local councils have some autonomy but face issues in maintaining uniformity and quality.
  • Efficiency of staff may vary among councils.

3. Integrated System

• Definition and Characteristics
  • Federal government manages and integrates personnel systems across local councils.
  • Ensures uniformity in terms of conditions of service.
• Administrative Autonomy
  • Local councils hire and fire their own staff, except department heads.
  • Compensation and service conditions decided by the central agency (Public Service Department).
• Uniform Treatment
  • Staff treated uniformly across different areas.
  • Benefits and allowances are standardized.

Governance and Efficiency

• Importance of Training
  • Staff need proper training and experience for promotions and transfers.
• Challenges
  • Maintaining uniformity and quality across different councils.
  • Local conditions vs. federal control in hiring and service conditions.

Recommendations

• Federal government to offer more benefits and privileges to local councils to attract skilled professionals.
• Enhance the planning of personnel systems to ensure balanced governance.

Summary

• Close system: High local autonomy, internal management.
• Fusion system: Mix of local and federal control, varying autonomy.
• Integrated system: Federal control, uniform standards.